Late Bloomer

Thanks, Lori and Bill, for providing photo fodder.

Vultures - Another Point of View

What one word comes to your mind when you hear the word "vulture"? I think for many, that word would be death.

I go years and years without thinking of vultures at all but last week, when we went on vacation, they were a source of conversation on a couple of occasions. The first time was when we were driving in NE Wyoming on our way to the airport. There was a big vulture cleaning up some road kill as we drove by. I forgot just how big they are! Here is a close-up photo taken from Wikipedia.

 They seem kind of ugly at first.

In flight, though, they are quite beautiful.


 They hop-walk when on the ground and look pretty awkward. Their take-off involves and lot of hopping and flapping as well. What I didn't know, though, was that when they soar, they are really quite lovely. They often tip from side to side, catching the light with their lighter feathers. They can soar for hours, yes hours, without flapping their wings!

While I've always known that we needed to appreciate their work as garbage collectors, cleaning up after nature, I didn't realize that other cultures have really honored them. When we were on the cruise on Saguaro Lake in Arizona the captain told us that in a Native American culture (sorry, can't remember which) they were thought to be messengers from God. They were respected!

Some places in the world continue to show respect for these interesting birds. There is even an International Vulture Awareness Day every September. Who knew?

When we were in Arizona, I got a photo of this beauty overhead.

I never did see him flap his wings.

The Three Amigos!

Lori (my cousin-in-law)

Sue (my sister-in-law)

 Joe (my brother-in-law)

Don't you wish you had a hat like that?

Arizona Photos, Continued

There is something so very beautiful about a rose.

 Sam was so happy to spend time with his girlfriend, Alaysha.

It was our first time to meet her so we enjoyed getting to know her a bit as well.

 These birds were perched next door to Carol's house.

I loved them!

Saguaro Lake

One of our days in Arizona we enjoyed a cruise... on water!  It's true! There are lakes in the middle of the Arizona desert and it turns out there are some not far from where we were staying in Mesa. Who knew?! Well, actually, Joe (brother-in-law) knew and at his suggestion we decided to go on a 90 minute cruise.

Now, if you've never traveled with someone in a wheelchair, you maybe haven't realized all the complications that can entail. We made sure ahead of time that this cruise was handicap accessible. There were many steps on the way down to the boat but there was a special route involving a hill, a long bumpy dock and a bit of faith to get Tina on the boat. Picture a boat tied to a dock. There is that gap between dock and boat that is kind of scary to walk across and I felt a bit nervous to push Tina's wheelchair over that opening. She, however, didn't show any fear at all. Being handicapped requires a good deal of courage I've learned.

Although everything is harder from a wheelchair, sometimes there are perks. That day it was nice that the captain let Tina and me board early. We got to sit right up front to enjoy the view!

The rest of the family had to wait in line.

Can you see them up there?

They eventually joined us and we all got good seats close together.

Sue and Joe (Mike's sister and her husband) were nearby.

For those readers who know them, 

don't you wonder why they don't age?

It's weird, really.

Sam was looking handsome.

As it turned out, this was a lovely way to spend a February afternoon.

The weather was perfect and the

views were stunning.

Our captain was quite informative.

He pointed out this rare saguaro cactus that had crested.

That is to say its arms had turned inward and were grown together. 

I was intrigued by this one that seemed to be growing straight out of the rock.

I never really thought of cactus as a lakeside kind of plant.

There were so many different colors and shapes in the rock formations.

Doesn't that look peaceful?

What a lovely afternoon...

Relaxing in the Sunshine

Not long ago Mike and I cooked up a plan to take my sister, Tina, away from winter for awhile. We picked her up from her home, just a few hours away from our own. We then drove to Rapid City, South Dakota and spent a pleasant evening in a hotel and relaxed a bit. The next morning we took to the skies and flew to Arizona in our search for the sun.

Tina gets around in a wheelchair. She does very well but I'm here to tell you that I think it must take a great deal of courage for her to go on such a trip. She has to submit herself to being strapped into a funny, skinny aisle wheelchair just to get to her seat on an airplane. It looked a bit scary to me! She handled it all with good grace, though.

We were visiting Mike's Mom (Carol) and one of his sisters (Sue) and her husband (Joe). They were so welcoming and gracious, they made Tina feel right at home. 

Early in the week Sue and I took Tina on a long walk around the neighborhood. When you are from Wyoming, it is such a treat to see all the things that grow in warm places! I think this was one of Tina's favorite types of cactus.

We all enjoyed this bottle brush flower.

There are a lot of these pretty little quails (I really don't know if that is what they are, but maybe?) around.

 I felt Tina needed to have her photograph taken by one of the pretty pool areas.

We didn't go swimming but maybe we should have.

There is even a ramp for a wheelchair to go easily down into the pool.

Maybe next time.

 Sue showed us this cool cactus.

Do you see it as a waving bunny?

When we walked back, we found Mike and Joe out enjoying the warm day as well.

While it was sub-zero in Wyoming...

...and while the Wyoming wind was howling...

We felt pretty fortunate to be relaxing in the sunshine.

Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Cicadas

Most days I have several ideas in my head of things I want to write about. Today was not one of those days. When that happens, I start going through photos I have taken to see if that sparks any ideas. Well, sure enough, today it did just that. I came upon a photo that I took in Arizona last month. I thought it turned out pretty well and I have just been waiting to use it.

Do you know what that it? It is an empty cicada shell. (Click here to see a whole cicada.) Do you call them shells? Maybe not. I realized that I don't know all that much about cicadas. Our 9 years in New Mexico taught me that they can be very, very noisy...almost deafening sometimes in the summer evenings. That's about all I knew so in order to find a reason to post this photograph, I decided to research cicadas.

Cicadas make their noise by vibrating membranes on their abdomens. They can make different sounds, some for attracting mates or for sounding an alarm. It is the males that make all the racket. (I am still talking about cicadas but I don't blame you for being confused.)

Some species show up every year while others show up only every several years. There are thousands of species of cicadas. When they are hatched, they dig underground burrows and live by sucking plant roots. Isn't that weird? Some stay there for years, emerging as an adult cicada. Sometimes they appear in swarms and can cause plague-like destruction of plants.

I could go on but for but I think now you already know more than you ever wanted to know about Cicadas.

Chilly Living Conditions

How weird! It is after 9:00 a.m. and I just remembered I am a daily blogger. I hope that lapse doesn't happen again, but it likely will.

I was so exhausted yesterday that I spent my evening trying to stay awake in front of the TV, alternating with moments of waking up (the staying awake part was not much of a success) wondering what time it was. I don't mean I wondered if it was 8:00 p.m. or 8:30 p.m., I mean I had to sort out whether it was morning or evening.

This morning I was awakened to Mike's announcement that our furnace wasn't working. It still isn't, but help is on the way. Luckily, we are having unseasonably warm weather so long sleeves with an added sweater is working for the moment. I know there are others with furnace problems and below-freezing temperatures (Hi, Pam!) so I'd better not complain too much.

While it is annoying to have our furnace not working, it made me think of how nice I have it. Our home is not fancy but it is more than adequate for our needs. While there are people living 10 to a room, I now have an entire room dedicated to sewing/crocheting/jewelry-making/whatever-strikes-my-fancy-making. While there are millions hauling water for their everyday needs, I just turn on a faucet and that life-sustaining liquid flows freely. While some are scavenging for anything at all to eat, I'm trying to decide what appeals to me from the many options in my kitchen.

The inequality of all that is rather disturbing, isn't it? I've done nothing to deserve having better living conditions than so many others. I pray that my eyes will be opened to better ways to help those in need.

Anyway, those are kind of solemn thoughts for a Saturday morning I suppose. I will leave you with these photos from our Arizona trip. I am thinking that hole is where a bird lives. It looks rather hostile but perhaps the inside of a cactus is a splendid place for a home. I suppose the Wyoming birds who are trying to keep a nest in a tree during 60 mph winds would love to have such a place to hide away.

Stay warm and have a happy Saturday!

The Two Iones

We did not randomly choose to visit Arizona.  We all met there so that we could not only see Ben and Sara but so that we could see Mike's Mom, Carol.  She cheerfully hosted our whole family. We were really grateful to all have the chance to gather there.  I know it would be appropriate to send her a thank-you card but it is a new age and I am bad at sending cards. So, thank-you, Carol! We appreciate you!

Carol's middle name is Ione.  I probably shouldn't tell you that as she once told me she wasn't crazy about her middle name. However, I think she likes her middle name now, because she shares it with her beautiful baby great-granddaughter, Elise Ione.

It was fun to see the The Two Iones together for a few days.

I see a resemblance between these two pretty Iones.

Except Carol doesn't drool.

Will Someone Please Turn UP the Heat?

I am COLD! What a rude shock it was to return from Arizona to temperatures dipping below zero degrees.  Add Wyoming wind to that and... well, there just isn't enough hot chocolate!

I don't know where all of my readers are from but I know some are from the North and some are from the South, many others are from other countries. I'm wondering what kind of weather you are all experiencing at this time.  Comments, anyone?

For now, I think I'll relive some more of the warmth from last week...

Cordelia and Grandpa...it does not get any sweeter than that.

Doesn't that look nice? 

I don't know why they look so serious but when I look at this photograph I am 

happy remembering that I got to go out to lunch with just my two sons that day... a rare event!

I love my daughter-in-law. 

She has a happy spirit and

a tinkly laugh.

It was perfect weather as we hiked, enjoying time by a river.

I think these guys look kind of silly wearing little helmets but they entertained me.

Arizona knows how to do some spectacular sunsets.

All Together

It didn't last long enough, but for a time Mike and I had all three of our adult children, both of our children-in-law (that's a term, isn't it?) and our two granddaughters all together in one place. It was wonderful. One of my favorite Arizona memories from this trip will be the day we all went for a walk enjoying some desert nature.

Ben and Sara came were there from North Carolina.

It was so great to get to spend time with them.

Cordelia was pretty happy to see Uncle Ben.

Can you see the adoration in her face?

Elise was happy to have Sara tote her around because Sara knew the trick. It looks awkward but Elise wants to be held facing outward so she can see where she is going.

We were walking around a Riparian Reserve so the bird-watching was fabulous.

I think this is a Blue Heron. Am I right? I love his beard!

I wonder if others in this reserve thought Maria and Eric were some sort of celebrities. Don't they look like a movie-star family?

 

Oh yes, I got time with the little girls as well.

I just felt so happy that day!

This guy was one of the locals.

Mike is standing on his tippy toes to be as tall as Sam.  

Pitiful really.

We made friends with some geese (groupies) who kept following us.

Ben showed Cordelia what to do with this perfect tree.

Arizona has its own beauty.

While I looked at this group of people I thought back to Mike and me at 15 years old, meeting in our little high school. I don't think I was capable then of imagining the joy of looking together at our children and grandchildren. I am so grateful for these moments, happy to share them with Mike.

I love my people!